


Cottage in the Woods

by SpicySnowflake



Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen, How Do I Tag, Writing Exercise, cottage, woods
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:41:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26275051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpicySnowflake/pseuds/SpicySnowflake
Summary: Its a short story I wrote for my Creative Writing class. Its about a cottage in the woods





	Cottage in the Woods

The cottage stood peacefully in the small clearing. It was small and old, and must have been very beautiful once upon a time. A thick layer of dust covered the entirety of the building, yet underneath, the aged wood held strong. A quaint and sturdy little cottage which, despite being old and uninhabited, held a certain charm that kept her coming back just to see it.

She had previously found it completely by accident, while she was taking a walk through the forest. In the middle of the clearing, surrounded by the tall, thick trees and without a path to direct anyone towards the building. It gave the illusion of complete isolation, despite the fact that it was only a ten minute walk from the rest of the village. Provided one knew how to get there. 

Perhaps, on another day, if the weather had been different, a different person would have regarded the place as creepy. However, as it stood, in spring that mid-afternoon, where the sun peeked through the lush green leaves of surrounding trees, the wind gently blowing, and the sounds of birds chirping in the background, she could only describe the place as ethereal. Almost like a fairytale.

She wondered who could have possibly lived there. It could have been the home of an elderly couple, wise and genial, but wished for a quiet place of residence to live out the rest of their days. Or maybe it was the house of a family of four, with parents who wanted a secluded place away from the hustle and bustle that a house in the heart of the village would have. Perhaps it was the residence of an eccentric and introverted person who simply wished to live alone in peace, without any pesky neighbors. She could only imagine. 

She also wished to know what this cottage was like on the inside. She had once tried to look through the windows, but the grime and dirt covering them made it impossible to see the other side. The more she visited the place, the more curious she became. Maybe if she could see inside the house, it would give her clues as to who had once lived there. 

She had never before tried to step foot inside the cottage. It wasn’t hers, nor did she know to whom it belonged. However, the more she had visited, the more curious she had become. She had been taught, since childhood, never to enter where she had not been expressly welcomed, but her curiosity had become almost overwhelming. She needed to see.

The front door, underneath all the grime, was intricately sculpted with designs of swirling leaves and flowers. She took the time to admire the expertly carved wood. She grabbed the doorknob and, after testing to see if it was unlocked, pushed the door open. 

Immediately, she was overcome with an intense coughing fit from accidentally inhaling dust. I should have expected that. This house hasn’t been cleaned in who knows how long. She thought. Once inside, she took note of the cottage’s interior. 

Dust powdered the walls and the furniture, and cobwebs decorated the corners of the room. Rather than appearing dirty or dingy, the dust particles floating in the air shone like glitter as it reflected the light. It was lovely. 

On the far right, right next to the door, was a staircase. On the far left was a fireplace made of stones, a couch a few feet away faced it, with a shag carpet that lay on the floor between them. Placed against the wall to the right was a bookshelf, filled to the edges with books, although the layer of dust made it hard to read the titles on their spines. A narrow path between the back of the couch and the bookshelf lead through the room, and into the kitchen.

In front of the kitchen entry stood a wooden dining table with wooden chairs tucked in. An old stove leaned against the far right corner, surrounded by cupboards on each side, along with a sink that stood next to the shelf, against the right wall. Opening the cupboards, assorted plates, glasses, mugs and utensils were piled neatly in rows. There were no signs of any food or spices. Not even salt.

The stairs creaked with almost every step, as she walked her way up. The wall on the opposite side of the railing held framed paintings. A couple of the paintings were of clusters of trees. One was of a woodpecker. Another was of flowers. The owner must have really liked nature. Another reason they could have chosen to live in the cottage. 

The only room in the second floor was a spacious bedroom. A double sized bed stood in the corner of the room. Ignoring the dust, it was very well made, the pillow placed neatly at the head of the bed and the blanket folded perfectly under it. Right next to the bed was a nightstand, and on top of that was an oil lamp. 

Walking over to the closet by the foot of the bed, she opened it, only to find nothing. Empty. She gently closed the closet. She turned and carefully scanned the room. There was a full length mirror next to the closet, but the film of dust made her reflection blurry.  
There was also a big window, but it was as impossible to see the outside through it as it has been the other way around.

The interior of the cottage was very lovely. However, she couldn’t help but be slightly disappointed. She had hoped that she would find some clue as to whom the cottage once belonged, preferably some photographs. However, having already explored the entire cottage, she knew there were none. She was as clueless as she had been before she entered the building. 

She slowly made her way downstairs and as she reached the door that led to her exit she took one last look at the interior. It really was a lovely, and homey place. 

Next time, I’m definitely cleaning this cottage. 

She opened the door and left.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!  
> I really appreciate it :)


End file.
